The Medicinal Herb Info site was created to help educate visitors about the often forgotten wisdom of the old ways of treating illnesses. Many of today's drugs and medicines were originally derived from natural ingredients, combinations of plants and other items found in nature.

We are not suggesting that you ignore the help of trained medical professionals, simply that you have additional options available for treating illnesses. Often the most effective treatment involves a responsible blend of both modern and traditional treatments.

Poison hemlock:Poison—identify
to avoid!

A species of evergreen plant; the volatile oil extracted from dried, unripe fruit of Conium maculatum, poison hemlock or a poison made from the hemlock. A European plant with compound umbels of small, white flowers and finely divided leaves. A branched perennial, 2-6 feet tall. Stems are hollow, grooved; purple-spotted. Leaves are carrot-like, but in overall outline more like an equilateral triangle, and with more divisions; leaves ill-scented when bruised. Leafstalks are hairless. Flowers are white, in umbels; May to August. Similar in appearance to caraway, valerian, Queen Anne’s lace, wild carrot, etc. Care should be taken in identifying the hemlock plant;

Water hemlock:

A North American and Asiatic evergreen tree of the pine family, with drooping branches and short needles; the bark is used in tanning.

Hemlock spruce:

A North American evergreen tree growing 50-100 feet high; the bark is a dull brownish-gray on the outside and red underneath and is made up of large, rough scales. The leaves are short and needle-like, and both male and female flowers grow in catkins. The woody seed cones are less than an inch long. Needles are flat; 5/16-9/16 inches long; on short slender stalks. Needles are bright green above, silvery whitish beneath. Cones drooping, to 1 inch long, with few scales; scales rounded. The oleoresin derived from the bark is dark reddish brown, opaque, and has a characteristic turpentine-like fragrance. This is the kind of bark tanners use in making shoe leather.Back to Top

Hemlock spruce: a tea of the inner bark or the young twigs is helpful in kidney and bladder problems and makes a good enema for diarrhea. Use it also to wash external sores and ulcers and as a gargle or mouthwash for mouth, canker sores, gangrene, and throat problems. Put powdered bark in the shoes for tender or sweaty feet or for foot odor.

Hemlock spruce is the common hemlock tree, one of the old home remedies. The leaves can be used, but should not be taken during pregnancy. It can be used in dropsy; it increases the flow of urine. May be used as a douche for leukorrhea; is good for uterine problems, and a remedy for colon trouble and diarrhea when used as an enema.

Native Americans used tea made from leafy twig tips in steam baths for rheumatism, colds, fevers, diarrhea, coughs, stomach troubles, and scurvy. Bark is very astringent.Back to Top